Frequency-responsive instrument



July 17, 1928.

F. B. VOGDES FREQUENCY RESPONSIIVE INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet Original-Filed "April 29. 1922' FREQUENCY I Inventor- F'r'anqis B.\/o des,

His Atto rney.

July 17, 1928. 1,677,694

F. B. voGnss FREQUENCY RESPONSIVE INSTRUIINT Original Filed AphiLZQ. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 I3 j L I I '2 I/ Irn/en'bor 1 Francis B. Vogdes WWQML His Attorney.

Patented July 17, 1928.

UNI-TED?" STAT PA T. 'FF a FRANCIS B: VOGDESpOFiSCI-IENECTADY;,NEw-i ou, ASSIGNoR TO GENERAL ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, ACORPQRATIONQOF: NEWIYORIL rnnqormcmnnsronsrvnins raunnn'r.

l/ly invention relates to electrical linsti 'u-i more particularly to frequency ments andresponsive instruments.

7 It is the ina'in objectof' my invention to provide a very sensitive frequency 'respon -f sive instrument or relay. Another object of my invention is to: pro'vides eh'an instru nient in which the frequencyrange. of op-f p I "iliary' s'tatorj'windin'g, are both short cirv Thus, inFigs.

eration may be varied through wide limits by the simple expedient of tuning one or more circuits associated therev'v'ith". improved instrument may be usedli'n anyplace where mechanical" movement isflto be caused by a slight change in frequencyiof an alternating current. vItnoay heus'ed byjitse'lf as a frequency indicator or when excited by'a'n alternator driven by a primemover it may be made to act asthegovernor of thatprime mover or merely-asa speed indicator. therefor. My invention 1s; partlcularly useful as a governor 'wliere'it'is desiredtooperate a prime mover at several materiallydifferent speeds and to hold thespeed constant at any particular value. For 'instanoe in electric ship propulsion, Iny instrument may serve, as the governor of the primem'o'ver to hold: a constant speed corresponding to 60 cycles and may be controlledffroin the'bridge in avery simple manner to change the spefed' to that corresponding to 4t5 cycles: or any other value, which value will beheldfoon stant'. My in strument might also be used for measuring capac ty and reactanceif a source of absolutely constant. frequency alternating current lS; 2lV2Lllfl bl-j Other ad vantages of my instrument will appear as the description proceeds, V

The features of my invention which be lieve to be novel and patentable will he'- pointed out. in the claims appended hereto.

The principle of operation and v construction of the instrument, will .be described in connection Withthe accompanying dravvings in which Fig. 1' illustrates the electrical connections of the instrument; Fig; 2'shows ai frequency-d1splacement curve IllUSlJIEItlVQ- of my instrument; Fig; 3 shows the instrument used as 'a'frequency meter; and Fig. 4 Sl1OWS.;

the instrument used as a turbine governor Which maybe adjusted for materially Llfr ferent speeds fromi a distant point; 1

The instrument may consist of rotor and stator elements similar to those of alternats ing current machines using-fdistributed windings. Oneelement, preferably thQFIOtOI,

may consist of one two-pole distributed windin'g 'and the" other elementof two two-pole Windingswit' h their axes of magnetization at a'n angletoeach' other, preferably de-.

' greesi Power is appliedv through one of the 60' st'atorwintli'ngs, which I will designatethe" nia'injst'at'or' Winding, While'the rotor and the other sta tor; which I will designate the auxindicates tl'rejauxiliary] stator Winding short 70 CllClllliECl through condenser 4am havingits" magnetiei axis at rightangles tothe mag netlic' axis' of winding '1', and? indicates the rotor winding which'is ino'untedjto be' fre'ely rotatablelvvith' respect 'tothe stator windings 75.

andis short circuit'edthrough a condenseri 5. I A' resistance G'is preferably included in therotor'ci'rcuit to'limit the current. i v

a I 'hayefound that an instrument built in this nianiierand havin'g 'its secondary tuned so to the correct frequency of the supply circuit' 'is very ise'nsitive to slight variations in the supply frequency. Its actionnn'ay be ex'pl'alned' as'ifollows At a frequency below the point where the secondary, circuits, 0011- ea sist'iiigjofjtlie rotor e'ifrcuit' and the auxiliary W nding circuit, (tune to theii'npressed frequency, the-'rotor, tends to move so that. its magnetic: aXi's' corresponds to that of thc main stator, 'windingl due to the currents o0 inducedin 'therotor. Above thefi point' of tuningt-hefrotor' tends to move so that its magnetic' aiiisicorresponds to that of the auxiliary stator[winding 2. Now, since the transformerfactio n'betweenthe rotor wind? 05 iligs and the auXiIiar y' Q is variable, due to) the,differentpos'itions'the rotor takes at differentffrequencies;the natural frequency (i. e. tuning point); of the secondary circuits will also vary; -Therefore, the natural fre quencyof the secondary, circuits Will varywith; changesin'the rotor position in such a wayth'at if there .isavgiven position of the, rotor for which "the secohdaryiw-ill be in,

tune any other position of the rotor willgiv'e a torque tending to move it toward the first position, thus giving a frequency displaceinent curve like the fullline' A-B of Fig. 2; When theimpressed frequency is equal to the natural frequency oflthe secondary 11o iii uniformly displaced quency of 63 cycles, then by increasing the frequency from 57 to 63 cycles with the condenser in the auxiliary winding short circuited, the rotor will not move until the 63 cycle point is reached at which time the rotor will suddenly turn to a position where the magnetic axis of its winding corresponds to that of the auxiliary winding 2. Also, by decreasing the frequency from 63 cycles to 57 cycles, with the same connections, the rotor will not move until the 57 cycle point is reached, at whichtime it-will suddenly turn throughthe angle formed by the magnetic axis of the two stator windings and as sume the position shown in Fig. 3. There may be conditions where a relay with such characteristics would be desirable,but for the great majority of cases, such as for frequency measurement and regulating purposes, the characteristics shown by the curve C A B D will be necessary, and I have therefore illustrated the preferred modification of my instrument with a condenser 4 connected in the circuit of the auxiliary winding 2. With this last mentioned connection, let us assumethat points A and B of Fig. 2 represent 58 and 62 cycles respectively. Now, if the frequency is below 58 cycles the rotor will assume the position shown in Fig. 3, and by increasing the frequency above 58' cycles, the rotor will be until 62 cycles is reached, abovewhich frequency the rotor will assume a position represented by the horizontal line BD. Inreturning to a low-er frequency, the displacement will correspond to the same line D B A C. This constant frequency displacement characteristic over the limited range between 58 and 62 cycles is due to the fact that the secondary circuit has slightly-different natural frequencies for different positions of the rotor. In Fig. 3 I have illustrated my improved instrument used as a frequency meter. The rotor element consisting of coil 3, con denser 5 and resistance 6 is rotatably supported in any suitable manner and is pro vided with a pointer 7 which cooperates with a stationary scale 8 graduated and calibrated with the instrument to read frequency. The main statorwinding 1 of the instrument is energized over lines 9 from the source of alternating; current the frequency of which is to be measured. The angle through which in proportion thereto pointer 7 will swing may be varied byvarying the angle bet-ween the two stationary coils 1 and 2; and the range of operation instrument may be .varied by varying the value of the capacity 5. It will be noticed that my a rather narrow range of frequency. This feature makes the device particularly valuable for indicating slight variations in frequency. Thus the instrument illustrated in Fig. '3has a full scale deflection, corresponding to an arc of 90 degrees, for a change in frequency of 4 cycles. In this in stance the meter is adjusted to indicate from 58 to 62 cycles and is therefore particularly adapted for use in a cycle generating plant. The instrument is also useful as a frequency responsive relay. Forexample, such a relay could be operated from a distant point over an alternating current trans-. mission system by a variation in frequency.

which is even less than the usual frequency' variations on commercial-systems.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated my instrument used as a governor for a turbo-alternator. Means are also provided for varying the tuning of the rotor circuit of the instrument whereby the speed which the governor will hold may be materially changed. 9 represents a steam turbine supplied by steam through a pipe 10 and a throttle valve 11. The turbine drives an alternator 12 which supplies the alternating current mains 13. The main stator winding 1 of my improved instrument 15 connected to the alternating current mains through a switch 14 and an adjustable resistor 15. The frequency responsive instrument, when used as a governor, will preferably be attached directly to the pilot valve of the usual valve gear and follow-up system therefor. However, for illustrativepurposes, I have chosen to the magnetic axes of instrument is very sensitive over' or sensitiveness of the show the turbine controlled by myinstrument through a solenoid operated throttle valve and electric contacts; Thus, the stem of the throttle valve 11' is secured to a balanced arm 16 pivoted at 17 and adapted to bemoved up or down to open o'r close the valve by electric solenoids 18 and 19. A dashpot 20' may be provided to steady the operation. One side of the energizing coils of the solenoids are connected to abattery 2101* other suitable 'source'of current. The other side of the battery 21 is connected to a contact arm 22 secured to the rotor element of my frequency responsive device and adapted to be rotated therewith upon variations in the frequency of the alternator 12. Arm 22 cooperates with stationary contacts 23 and 24 to close the circuit of solenoid 18 through more or less resistance when the frequency is low, and with stationary contacts 25 and 26 to close the circuit of sole noid 19 through more or less resistance when the frequency is-hi-gh. Resistances 27 and 281118.3 be provided in the circuits of solenoids 18 and 19 for-- adjusting purposes. lVhen the frequency is-'correct,"the arm-22 will occupy the central position illustrated.

An increase in frequency above normal 3 will energize solenoid 19 in a similar manner to lower the frequency. Suitable stops may be provided to limit the movement of the arm 22 or its angle of displacement may be made equal to the length of the are formed by the contacts 24, 26. Since the instrument is very sensitive to changes in frequency, the operation may be made vibratory in character somewhat similar to the action of a Tirrill regulator. This provides a highly ac curate and inexpensive form of governor.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the capacity 50f the rotor circuit connected in parallel with a variable capacity for tuning purposes. Thus, a plurality of condensers 31 have one side connected to the rotor circuit at 32 through line 33. The other sides of the condensers 31 are connected to separate contacts 34. A sliding contactor 35 connected to the rotor circuit at 86 through line 37 is adapted to be moved over contacts 34 to connect more or less of the condensers 31 in parallel with the capacity 5 of the rotor. The sliding contactor 35 may be fastened to a nut 38 and moved back and forth by a screw shaft 39 and hand wheel 40.

It will now be evident that varying the amount of capacity in the rotor circuit in this way will change the tuning of the sec ondary circuit and cause the rotor to respond to different frequencies. Increasing the number of condensers in parallel with condenser 5 and thereby increasing the capacity.

of the rotor circuit causes'the instrument to be tuned for a lower frequencyand it will therefore immediately rotate into a position to decrease the frequency of the alternator. As soon as the frequency of the alternator has been decreased to this lower value the instrument will resume its vibratory governing function previously described. A fre quency or speed scale may be provided opposite a pointer integral with nut 38 moved by the sliding contalctor 35 which scale will be calibrated to indicate the frequency or speed corresponding to the various positions of the contactor 35. One or more such variable capacity devices may belocatedua desirable distances away fronn the trirb cso that the turbine speed =maybe accurately controlled from one or more distantpoints such, for examplefas'thebridge of ani char" trically propelled i ship where the. propellers are driven byalternating current motors supplied by the turboalternator.- In some cases where it is desired to control the speed? through: avery wide-range, it may be. nccessary toalso tune the: circuit of' the anxiliary stator winding. 1 W'hileI. have shown variable capacity fOFtHIIlDgLPUIPOSQSpI do:

evident that the same results could be ac: complished by a variable reactance or by a combination of both capacity and reactance.

It has just been explained how a change in the tuning of the secondary circuit causes a change in the position of the rotor. Therefore, with a source of absolutely constant frequency my instrument may be used as a very sensitive instrument for detecting small variations in capacities or reactances. In such an instrument the scale would be calibrated in capacity or reactance units as the case may be. p

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An electrical instrument comprising a stator element and a rotor element, a pair of angularly disposed windings on one of said elements inductively related to a winding on said other element, one winding of said pair comprising'a primary coil and the other windings ofthe instrument comprising a tuned secondary system, the tuning frequency of which changes with different po-' sitions of the rotor elements.

2. A frequency responsive instrument com 'not wish to be limited thereto asit will be 8!) connected to a source of alternating current I and a secondary winding system tuned to a frequency corresponding to that of the source, said secondary system comprising a pair of inductively related coils closed through condensers, one of said coils having its magnetic axis fixed at an angle of approximately 90 degrees With respect to the magnetic axis of said primary coil and the other of saidcoils forming a rotatable inductive coupling between said angularly displaced. coils.

4. A frequency responsive instrument comprising a stator element and a rotor element, a pair of angularly disposed windings on one of said elements inductively related to a Winding on said other element, one Winding of said pair comprising a primary coil, and p the other windings of the instrument comprising a secondary system tuned to respond to a definite small range of frequency, and manual means for tuning said secondary Winding system to cause the said instrument to respond to a predetermined difierent small range of frequency. 7 y

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of April, 1922.

FRANCIS B. voonns' 

